In an exclusive study...

In an exclusive study for Auto Express, Admiral Insurance looked at the loyalty of stricken motorists. And its investigation produced some unexpected results.

The figures reveal that Ford owners are the most loyal, with the firm topping the charts when it comes to keeping customers. It beat a host of luxury brands, with an impressive 40.3 per cent of owners replacing their written-off Ford with another blue oval product. Second in the standings was Volkswagen, with 39.9 per cent of driv?ers choosing another VW model if their car had been damaged.

In the battle of the luxury brands, Merc?edes finished ahead of its traditional rival, BMW. It came third in Admiral’s rankings, with a 35.9 per cent loyalty rate, compared to fourth-placed BMW’s 32.2 per cent.

However, fellow German manufacturer Audi was placed in a lowly 13th position on the list. An Admiral spokesman said: “It’s surprising to see that Audi doesn’t make an appearance in the top 10, especially considering which other brands feature towards the top of the table.

“Audi is known for producing cars with strong build quality and a thrilling driving experience, and you’d think that would be enough to entice owners to buy another. But this doesn’t seem to be the case.”

Manufacturers which struggle to retain customers who have had their car written-off include Hyundai and SEAT. The firms finished at the bottom of the standings, with disappointing loyalty figures of 15.3 per cent and 14.8 per cent respectively.